Excelet
Developing a Mathematical Model for a Burning Candle
Can we develop a simple mathematical
model for the burning of a candle?
time
Click on the tabs to navigate!!!
(11 tabs in all)
Objectives: With this Excelet, we will
1. simulate and animate the burning of a candle to generate data;
2. develop a mathematical model from the height versus time data;
3. simulate error in the data and its influence on the model;
4. explore other variables that influence the rate of burning, and;
5. examine other ways of treating the data.
modified 2010 version
Burning a Candle
Click to have time pass and collect data
starting
time passing =
0
to restart type in zero
As time passes, what happens to the candle?
11
1
2
9
82
71
61
Height of candle
10
candle 1
0
0
10
10
0
3
4
4
3
3
candle 2
0
0
5
5
0
1.5
3.5
5
4
rate
3 1
0.2
rate 2
0.1
2
1
0
expt no.
Candle 1
Candle 2
Experiment 1
cm/time
flame
10.5
5.25
Height, cm
12
candle 1
starting
candle 2
height =
10
cm
height =
cm
height =
10
cm
height =
cm
12
10
8
6
4
Experiment
2Experiment
Experiment
0
Experiment
0
1
time
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
2
3
candle 1
10
9.8
9.6
9.4
9.2
9
8.8
8.6
8.4
8.2
8
4 time
5
candle 2
10
5
-2
4.9
-2
4.8
-2
4.7
-2
4.6
-2
4.5
-2
4.4
-2
4.3
-2
4.2
-2
4.1
-2
4
7
8
Select a another experiment !
How do you determine the burn rate for the candle?
What does the y-intercept on the graph represent?
Sinex 2009
modified 2010
5
-2
-2
-2
-2
-2
-2
-2
-2
-2
-2
10
Adjustable Burn Rate
set time for green tracer line
starting
candle 1
starting
candle 2
height =
10
cm
height =
cm
height =
10
cm
height =
cm
Observation at tracer line setting
111
102
Height of candle
92
8
1
1
7
6
candle 1
0
0
10
10
0
3
4
4
3
3
candle 2
0
0
5
5
0
1.5
3.5
5
4
rate 1
3
2
1
0
rate 2
tracer line
0
11
0
6
Candle 1
0
0
cm/time
flame
10.5
5.25
12
10
Height, cm
12
6
4
2
Candle 2
What does the value of the
x-intercept represent?
Set the burn rates:
time
0
1
f(x) = - 1x + 10
2
3
4
5
f(x) = - 1x + 6
5
7
8
9
10
0
1
2
3
candle 1
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
4 time
5
100
burn rate for candle 1
1
cm/time
candle 2
5
4
3
2
1
0
-1
-2
-3
-4
-5
7
8
10
100
burn rate for candle 2
1
cm/time
Sinex 2009
The Behavior of the Rate of the Candle Burning
How does the rate behave as the candle burns down?
50
0.2
45
0.2
- 0.2x + 50
40
0.2
35
0.2
30
0.2
25
0.2
20
0.2
15
0.2
10
0.2
100
150
200
5
0.2 250 300
0 time 0.2
cm/time
0.25
initial height, Ho =
tracers on each graph
height
125
25
rate
125
0.2
25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
0
50
cm
0.25
0.2
rate 0.15
0.2
0.1
rate
height
60
0.00
50
25.00
f(x) =
50.00
40
75.00
30
100.00
125.00
20
150.00
10
175.00
0
200.00
50
225.00 0
250.00
0.2
rate
burn rate =
time step =
25
0.05
scales to completely burn candle
0
50 100 time
150 200 250 time
300 step for scroll0bar 10
50
125
time
20
2.5
30
height
adjust time of tracer point
burn the candle ----->
How would you describe the behavior of the rate as a function of height?
Sinex 2010
40
50
60
Real-world Data
time
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
height
10.0
9.2
9.3
8.2
8.6
7.6
7.0
6.3
5.9
4.9
10
5.2
height, cm
height =
10
cm
burn rate =
0.5
cm/time
Now consider adding
some error
(one at a time)
height
10
9.5
9
f(x) = - 0.5163636364x + 10.0618181818
8.5
R = 0.9651910852
8
ruler error
7.5
0.04
7
6.5
6
5.5
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
random error
0.6
none
60
increase
As random error is
added, what happens
to the data?
As random error is
0.0
0
5
time
10
The green line is the line of best fit to the data, a linear regression line.
R2 is a measure of the goodness-of-fit of the regression line to the
added, how does R2
respond?
systematic error
51
0
+
experimental data. A perfect fit (no error) has R 2 = 1.
As systematic error is
added, how does
the line respond?
Sinex 2009
Exploring the Burn Rate of a Candle
diameter =
cm
density =
0.85
85
g/cm3
Let's consider a
couple of variables
to see how they
influence the burn
rate.
0.20
0.15
burn rate
mass loss
rate
burn rate
(g/minute) (mm/minute)
0.05
0.03
0.10
0.06
0.15
0.09
0.20
0.12
0.25
0.15
0.30
0.18
5
50
0.10
0.05
0.03
0.06
0.09
0.12
0.15
0.18
-5.00
-5.00
-5.00
-5.00
-5.00
-5.00
How does the candle's
diameter influence
the burn rate?
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
mass loss rate
0.20
0.25
0
comparison
line
From: Hamins and others (2005) Characterization of Candle Flames,
J. Fire Protection Engineering 15, 265-285. Click here
0.30
How does the density
of the candle wax
influence the burn
rate?
How does temperature
influence density?
Sinex 2009
Comparing the Length Burned versus the Height
height =
time
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
height
10.0
9.8
9.6
9.4
9.2
9.0
8.8
8.6
8.4
8.2
8.0
cm
length burned
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
cm
12
10
8
6
4
2
cm
10.0
9.8
9.6
9.4
9.2
9.0
8.8
8.6
8.4
8.2
8.0
10
cm
1
2
2
1
1
h e ig h t/ le n g th b u rn e d
The length burned of the candle
burn rate =
0
0
9 12.0
9 10.0
0 8.0
height
f(x) = - 0.2x
Image of candle
at time of tracer line
What kind of relationship does
the length burned as a function
of time show?
cm/time
1
2
2
1
+ 10
1
is the part that has vaporized.
10
10
9Linear (height)
9
10
6.0
4.0
5
5
2.0
0
10.5
f(x) = 0.2x - 1.33897934774369E-016
0.0
0
0.2
time =
5
time
10
set time for green tracer line
What does the slope of the length burned as a function time represent?
Sinex 2009
modified 2010
How does temperature influence the rate of burning of a candle?
height, ho =
15
cm
15.0
13.7
12.4
11.1
9.8
8.5
7.2
5.9
4.6
3.3
2.0
16.0
14.0
12.0
height, cm
Time, min Height, cm
0
14.8
1
13.6
2
12.3
3
11.1
4
9.8
5
8.5
6
7.3
7
6.0
8
4.8
9
3.5
10
2.3
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
0
burn rate =
1.3
cm/min
for room temperature (300 K)
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
-2.0
4
5
6
time, minutes
Change the temperature
200
K
lower
higher
How does a temperature
change influence the
burn rate?
10
burn rate @ new temperature
1.26
cm/min
comparison 0
line at room temperature
thermal expansion changes the density by a small amount
Sinex 2010
mp and linear thermal expansion coefficient from http://www.diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/p/a/paraffin%20wax/source.html
Mass Loss versus Height - Which should be measured?
How are the mass loss and height of the candle related during burning?
height, cm
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
mass, g
0.00
0.17
0.33
0.50
0.67
0.83
1.00
1.17
1.34
1.50
1.67
mass, g
diameter, d =
0.5
cm
density, D =
The math
Since they are directly
proportional:
2.00
f(x) = 0.1668971097x
1.50
for a specific change
in height
1.0
cm
1.00
here is the change
in mass
0.17
g
0.50
0.00
0
4
5 cm 6
height,
slope =
Estimate density of candle:
0.85
g/cm3
mo =
6.7
g
d=
D=
0.17
1
cm
0.85
10
g/cm
ho =
10
cm
g/cm3
Sinex 2010
Consider the following questions:
1. Since the graphs are linear, what does this infer about the rate of burning of the candle?
2. Suppose that during the burning of the candle, the rate of burning was to increase as the candle burns.
How would this influence the graph?
3. Here is some data for a candle burning, plot a graph and determine the rate of burning
and the initial height of the candle.
Time, minutes Height, cm
2
15.3
3
14.7
4
14.1
5
13.5
7
12.3
10
10.5
How long will the candle burn?
Explain how you determined this.
4. How do you think the rate of burning of a tapered candle would behave? Sketch a graph.
Sinex 2009
More questions:
5. Use the burn rate data given below to address the questions:
candle type
soywax (untrimmed)
beeswax
paraffin
burn rate, g/hr
4.50
3.28
5.08
from: Rezaei and others (2002) Combustion Characteristics of Candles Made from Hydrogenated Soybean Oil,
Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society 79 (8) 803-808.
These rates were determine for 200-g candle of each wax type.
Which candle would burn the longest amount of time?
What is the total burn time for each candle? Explain how you determined and/or calculated this.
Sinex 2010
